Better Than Cow’s Milk

In spite of the USDA’s latest dietary guidelines recommending milk as part of a balance diet, evidence continues to mount that cow’s milk is best left to the calves. Many Americans are lactose intolerant, meaning that they find it difficult to digest the milk sugar lactose, reacting with symptoms such as nausea, bloating, gas, cramps and diarrhea. Others have a milk allergy and cannot tolerate casein or whey proteins in milk. When they drink a glass, the uncomfortable consequences may include digestive disturbances, skin rash, vomiting, wheezing, immune system reactions and mucus build-up in the sinuses. Even Lactaid– a lactose-free milk made for lactose intolerant people– still contains casein. Organic milk poses other challenges.

Now only is milk difficult to digest, it may also not be among the best forms of calcium for absorption. This holds truer for children, due to the sensitivity of developing immune systems to milk’s allergenic properties. According to Dr. Mark Stengler, ND, there is a possible association between cow’s milk and recurring ear infections in children.

In other studies, cow’s milk has been associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer. In the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, women with an increased intake of calcium from dairy products actually has a higher risk of bone fractures.

So what’s an alternative?

Nuts milk’s are a wonderful replacement as well as hemp milk. And what better way to get calcium than go to the source? Dark green leafy vegetables have a great amount of calcium. After all,cow’s eat grass to get theirs!

You can pick up nut milk or make your own at almost any food store now. If you would like some recipes or ideas on how to increase your intake of dark green leafy veggies just let me know and I’ll be happy to share.